Environmental Degradation Leads to Public Health Crisis

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A "systematic and comprehensive" approach is needed to understand the impact of human behavior on the world's public health, according to a new report. Written by the Heal (Health & Ecosystems Analysis of Linkages) consortium, the study highlights multiple examples of the impact on human health from environmental degradation, including sickness, death and even childhood reductions in IQ.

A "systematic and comprehensive" approach is needed to understand the
impact of human behavior on the world's public health, according to a
new report. Written by the Heal (Health & Ecosystems Analysis of
Linkages) consortium, the study highlights multiple examples of the
impact on human health from environmental degradation, including
sickness, death and even childhood reductions in IQ.

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For
example, the report cited that smoke from fires used to clear
rainforests in Indonesia has been linked to a rise in cardiopulmonary
disease in Singapore. Other examples include the destruction of coastal
barrier systems like coral reefs and wetlands, which currently protect
around one third of humanity (those living within 100km of the ocean)
from rising sea levels. Meanwhile, as biodiversity and natural habitats
decline, local access to wild meat falls as well. Lack of protein
increases the chances of iron deficiency anemia, a condition that can
hinder the learning potential of children as well as their physical
ability.Co-author of the report Samuel Myers told mongabay.com that
"more then anything else the point of this papers is that most of these
relationships remain poorly characterised and we worry as much about the
surprises, like food's nutritional value falling with rising C02, as
the relationships that we already understand. "

The report also
examines the demographics most likely to be affected. Myers, with the
Harvard University of Public Health, explained what he describes as an
"environmental justice dimension."

"The impacts of both climate
change and other types of environmental change are likely to be
experienced disproportionally by the poor and by future generations
whereas many of the benefits associated with these changes accrue to the
wealthier and to current populations," he notes.